On Breathless, Italian artist Mushy takes the blueprint laid down on her debut Faded Heart and blows it up into analog HD -- a deep, evocative and immersive listening experience that cocoons the listener in sensory loss and ecstasy simultaneously. Legendary 4AD artists A R Kane feature on her single "My Life So Far," and indeed it's that label and much of the satellite work in the mid-'80s that most informs Breathless. While more understated than the likes of Liz Fraser or Zola Jesus, Mushy's vocals are ghostly, expressionistic and suggestive of a netherland just beyond the realms of dream. On tracks like opener "To Be Lost" there's a mournful, glacial shift of swooping synths and bass emphasizing the lyrics' drift. The singular atmosphere pervades the whole record, never letting go, and on tracks like "Night Dress," it descends into a darker, lurking place rich in imagery.